Thanks Wombat -you're probably right about overdoing it. It's got to be over a year ago though that I went mad with the trace elements. The leaves on my 'best' one are yellow, but the veins are green - I thought this indicated that it was lacking in something? Perhaps it is my soil - don't murrayas like acidic soil? Maybe I need to add something.

Is it magnesium? I believe you use Epsom Salts to combat the yellowing/green veining .. I THINK.

Minerals in soil seems to be a very complex matter and I gather there is a danger of adding too much of one mineral which can prevent the take up of another. It's all a bit too much for my brain cells. For me, better to use a complete fertiliser in which the right balance had been worked out by some one else.

I have a Port Wine Magnolia in a tub which seems to go through an annual bout of yellow leaves/green veins. I'm guessing that something is being leached out of the potting soil. I dig some homemade compost into the top of the mix, apply a couple of doses of Thrive to provide an immediate boost and apply some Osmocote to provide future feeding and the leaves green up - until next time.

Do you have grass growing up to the murrayas? That might be taking up a lot of the food and water.

You can also try giving them a good talking to and tell them to stop mucking around and grow. Early morning is a good time to do this - fewer people around to hear you.

I'm the same Wombat - I can't get my head around trace elements, what's lacking etc etc. I had a look on a few sites on the internet to see if I might need to add something to the soil - I came away even more confused. I couldn't even work out if it's the new or old leaves which are yellow (can mean different deficiencies apparently) - looked like some new yellow and some old yellow ....
I don't have grass too close (but it's nice and green!)
I did a bad thing and looked through my chemicals shelf and made a concotion and made them drink it!
The difference is, that this time I measured the 'ingredients'.
... I am awaiting the results ...

I have never fetilised mine and they are healthy.

John

You're lucky John - they must just love that spot! Mine are still looking pretty awful.
The best one I've ever seen is at a garage - it is growing and flowering prolifically with tarmac up to it's trunk.

Mulching with concrete seems to work with a lot of plants, doesn't it? I think it retains the moisture.

If you aren't on water restrictions, I'd suggest you give your hedge two or three really thorough soakings, a day or so apart, and try and flush the soil a bit.

thanks ... will do ...

Hi there I my self am in brisbane. Murrayas will go yellow in winter as the fertiliser is locked up in the soil due to cold temperatures. They will burn easily from overdoing the fertilisers. I would advise checking the soil PH before doing anything as they like a pH about 6.5 to 7.5 in garden soil. soil PH also has a direct bearing on what fertiliser is locked up and which is available... The other problem murrays get is root rot or phytophtera.. I have had to spray, soil drench mine with anti rot over winter.

Ta Damo

yep, mine is possibly a pH problem ... combined with other problems most likely ... thanks, I'll dust off my pH test kit ...

We have about 40 Marayas at home and they dont like a lot of fertiliser but we planted them with mushroom compost and they are prolific and flowering in even in winter.